Freedom Lost
by Sweet Genius
Summary: For five years, all there has been is famine and war. As Master Shifu returns to the crippled down China, he recalls the terrible years of war that have been known as years of Fighting for Chinese Freedom. He decides to tell his whole story to Peng, who has just returned from hiding. As Master Shifu tells his story, he is hoping he will come across a solution to restore China.
1. Chapter 1 - Remembering the War

**Freedom Lost**

**By: Sweet Genius**

**Chapter 1 – Remembering the War**

Master Shifu entered the Jade Palace, looking all around him. He noticed that the sky had no clouds, and had a slight tinge of yellow and red. Master Shifu also noticed that the air he was breathing in smelled of death and decay. Master Shifu knew that that the war for Chinese Freedom had just ended.

The Jade Palace was in an acceptable condition; the front door had disappeared, and all the windows had been broken, but the structure of the Jade Palace was still intact. The roof was on the verge of collapse, as literally bricks were sliding off every minute.

Master Shifu sighed, and started walking inside the palace, noticing that many artifacts were either gone, obliterated to dust, or were in terrible condition. Shifu observed the ceiling of the palace, and saw that the golden dragon that used to hold the dragon scroll was gone; not having a single trace left. In conclusion, the entire Jade Palace was empty, not leaving a single trace of what is used to be.

Last of all, Shifu went to his bedroom, hoping that what he was looking for would be there. He sat down on his bed, took out a scroll, and took out a picture. This picture contained the Furious Five: Tigress, Mantis, Monkey, Viper, and Crane. Master Shifu hugged the picture, and allowed a couple of tears to escape from his eyes. He set the picture aside, and headed to the barracks.

The barracks was in perfect condition, not having a single scratch or brick missing. When he entered the barracks, he noticed a smell so foul, that he had to leave the building. Master Shifu thought to himself, could it be another dead body? He went back inside, covering his nose with the upper portion of his robe, and headed towards the kitchen where the smell was coming from. When he entered the kitchen, he expected to see a couple of dead bodies, but what he saw instead was a bunch of rotten dumplings that have rot so bad that they turned deep black and green. Master Shifu threw the dumplings outside, but the smell still remained. First, Shifu entered Tigress' barrack, and searched through her belongings. He found a picture of Po in her drawer, along with Crane and Viper. He also found three pieces of clothing, and some sandals. But then Shifu noticed something in Tigress' wall: a there were a couple of holes. He studied the holes, seeing that their circumferences were too big for just a couple of simple arrow throws.

Shifu stopped when he suddenly felt a presence behind him. He turned around, and saw that it was Zeng. Zeng looked pretty healthy, and seemed like he had been well fed. But one thing worried Shifu: Zeng seemed to be a little more nervous than usual, and this made him uncomfortable. But it please Master Shifu to see Zeng, as it had been a while since they have talked and seen each other.

"Ah Zeng, it is so good to see you! I cannot believe that you are actually alive! Oh my gods, what on hells earth happened to China! This useless war has completely deprived me of my family and friends; how did we even get into this position! It is all because of Emperor Xio Xang VIII. But, at least he is dead (he was beheaded publicly two days ago I believe, but I cannot remember exactly.) But Zeng, how are you doing? Is your family still alive?"

"Yeah, luckily, my mother, father, and brother managed to escape the emperor's military forces. Unfortunately, my sister was killed by a soldier just a few days before Xio Xang was killed. And she was so close to living. But, at least most of my family survived."

"Such a tragedy this war was eh Zeng? I cannot believe that this has actually happened. Master Oogway hinted something about a war coming soon, but I didn't know that it was actually going to be this bad. Who expected it? You know Zeng, I know Oogway was a mastermind: he knew all the secrets to kung fu, and he always maintained peace even in the most difficult situations; heck, he even created kung fu! But one thing that bothers me about him is that he has the notion that we can predict terrible events of the future. He thinks we can destroy any evil in the world, even if it is as powerful as this one was. I just get annoyed when he thinks that way; but maybe he had a purpose for doing so. Ah, I don't know; things are too complicated now, and I have no time to think about Oogway. All we can do know is hope for the best, and fix the damage that has been done."

"Yeah, Master Shifu….uh….do you want me to send any messages or….cuz' I would sorta like to go back to doing my job at the Jade Palace."

"Oh, I am afraid there is no Jade Palace my friend. Yes, the physical building still exists, but the spiritual forces that led and protected this sacred palace no longer reside here in my opinion. The wickedness and evil we have produced has made the gods angry, which is why I believe this happened."

"Oh Master Shifu….yeah….I agree….um….I kinda don't know what to do right now. May I be of any use sir?"

"I don't know right now Zeng. I need a few minutes to think about this whole situation. Go buy yourself an apple or something."

"Alright, I need to talk to my mother anyways."

"Yeah….sure….whatever."

Zeng left. Master Shifu, being extra curious, decided to see Po's room. He saw Po's collection of the Furious Five action figures. He noticed a box filled with toys in mint condition. He remembered Po talking about selling all of these toys for some money, since these toys were now considered collectibles. He chuckled for a moment, remembering the times Po had screwed things up (which were many times of course.) The stupidity and ingeniousness of Po amazed him since the beginning. He was completely amused by Po's behavior towards everything, and suddenly felt feeling for Po he never truly felt for him before. He actually felt pity for Po, which he never felt for him before. This feeling of pity was foreign to Shifu, and he immediately become confused with himself.

But there was one thing that drawed Shifu's attention: a picture of Tigress in all her glory. He looked at the picture, and then put it in his pocket.

Shifu soon left the barracks, and went into the town, seeing all the crumbled down buildings. The first building he entered was Peng's noodle shop, which was perfectly intact compared to the other buildings. Shifu looked over the counter of the noodle shop, and noticed Peng slicing onions, radishes, and other vegetables.

"Master Shifu? Quite unusual to see you friend…eh." Peng said in a very nervous shaky voice.

"Ah, don't mind me Peng, I actually just came here to get a bowl of your famous noodle soup."

"Ah, finally a customer! I haven't had a single customer today, but hey, what can you expect after years of famine and war?"

"Yes, exactly Peng."

"Why are you so down? Isn't the war over; shouldn't you be happy?"

"How can I be happy Peng when every single one of my friends are dead; forever gone? I can't comprehend that piece of terrible information! How could have this possibly happened?"

"I one-hundred percent agree with you. This emperor we had was probably the worst one we have ever had. He killed so many Chinese people…oh my…I can't believe this happened either Shifu, but it had to happen, otherwise, we would still be under his rule."

"But kung fu couldn't stop him! Do you understand that we are dealing with a supernatural power that is literally unbeatable? Yeah, his head was cut off, but what of that? Now there is militia all over China, and there is no true ruler anymore. Now it is a group of revolutionists ruling our government, and let me tell you, they are one of the most unqualified people I have ever met in my entire life. They know nothing about how a government should run or work or….never mind, I am wasting my time thinking about this."

"No, no, tell me, I am interested."

"Nah, it is too boring and lame to talk about. I even get bored thinking about it, but it is the truth. Anyways Peng, where is my soup?"

"Oh my, I almost forgot! Let me fix that right now."

While Peng was fixing up the soup, Shifu noticed a tiny figure standing at the entrance of the noodle shop. Shifu noticed something familiar about this figure, and when he realized who it was, he ran and tried to hug the figure, but the figure soon jumped away and landed on Shifu's shoulder.

"Master Shifu, I have been looking for you," Mantis screamed with great excitement, "This is amazing! I thought you were gone like everyone else! But finally someone survived that terrible….event."

"What, what event?" Shifu heard Peng scream from the kitchen.

"Oh nothing Peng, we won't bother you. We were just going to look through the rubble of what is left of the Jade Palace."

"Oh please tell me about your event! I mean, I really don't know anything. I have been in hiding all these years, and I really haven't heard much about anything to be quite honest with you. You know what; I will give you as much money as you want, just tell me everything!"

"Oh, but Peng," Master Shifu said, "The whole story is incredibly long and has some dull moments in it. It might take a few days to tell the whole story anyways, so just forget about it. Plus, I am hungry, tired, and most of all depressed."

"You know what, I don't care how long the story is, just tell me!

Master Shifu and Mantis looked at each other, wondering whether they should start talking or save this conversation for another time.

Master Shifu sighed, and said: "Fine, I will tell you Peng, but you must give me my soup first. I am terribly hungry and weak."

"Oh absolutely, almost done Master Shifu. Just got to cut a few more onions, that's all."

"So Mantis, where did you come from? Where were you anyways?"

"Master Shifu, the prison I was put into was locked up so much; I couldn't break through it at all. The metal the door was made of steel, and it was about thirty inches thick. How I got out, well, apparently these officials broke open the door, kicked me out of jail, and told me to get out and stay out. They never said another word to me again. Kind of suspicious, but I am just glad I am out of that place. I have never been so bored in my life."

"Oh, that sounds terrible, where are the others…."

"SOUP IS READY!" screamed Peng.

"Ow, damn Peng, you almost destroyed my ear drums. What is your problem?" Mantis moaned.

"It's just that I am excited to hear about your story. I am so anxious that it is not even funny. Please, just tell me already, I cannot wait anymore!"

"Alright, you seem pretty desperate, so I will tell you. But just try to keep this private; I don't want this story spreading until I decide what I am going to do about this new government of China. This oligarchy will not be successful, especially since it is filled with inexperienced dumbasses. Seriously, they don't know what they are talking about. But anyways, enough talking let us start the story. Now, this story is extremely complicated, so if you want to understand the ending of it, you must understand its beginning first. Now, this story starts off with Po, carrying his actions figures to his room. I remember it like it was yesterday: a cool breezy morning, full of bright green trees and clear blue skies. It seemed like China was invincible. Well, I remember while Po was carrying his action figures, he told me about some conspiracy that dealt with the corrupt government of Emperor Chang II (our previous emperor if you don't remember; he was quite an idiot too), and I didn't take this news seriously. As always, I thought Po was going to cause mischief as he always does, and…."


	2. Chapter 2 - The Flashback

**Chapter 2 – The Flashback**

**(QUICK NOTE: The next couple of chapters will be flashbacks, telling Shifu's story. We will return to present time in the story later on.)**

"Ah, Master Shifu, do I really have to carry this stupid bag of crap all the way up to that mountain? I am tired….I just ate my dumplings, that's not fair Master Shifu." Po said in a disappointed voice.

"Oh well Po, life is anything but fair; in other words, deal with it. I am expecting this place to be perfect for Master Huan. She is one of the cutest Kung Fu masters out there, and this place has to be spotless. I do not want to disappoint her." Shifu responded.

"Aww…Master Shifu, it looks like you have a little crush."

"Stop it Po! I will make you hike another five miles if you keep teasing me!"

"Oh, alright…I definitely do not want to do another five miles. That would just kill me."

"Yes, that means that you should consider shutting up Po; I don't have time for your silly games."

"Sorry Master."

Master Shifu left Po to his duties, and entered the Jade Palace, checking up on the progress of the Furious Five.

"Master Tigress, Crane, Viper, Mantis, Monkey…did you all do what I asked you to do? Did you clean all the windows; are you sure there isn't a speck of dust in the palace; did you get rid of Po's mess; is the place spotless? Help me out here, I am freaking out!"

"Master Shifu, Calm down, this really isn't such a huge meeting. It's just Master Huan of the Yin-Yang Valley…she is important, but you are acting as if you are meeting the emperor! You need to take a chill pill Master Shifu." Tigress responded in a sympathetic voice.

"I guess you are right, but it's just that she is treated like a queen everywhere! Because of her prodigious beauty, everyone believes she is a goddess who has ascended from Heaven."

"Yeah, you got one point there Master Shifu," Monkey interjected, "Everyone loves her, and it is rumored that she is still a virgin, even though many guys have been with her before. There is just something about her that is fishy."

"Yeah…" said Master Shifu as he drifted off into a fantasy world of his own.

"Uh Master Shifu….are you ok?" Mantis asked, realizing that Shifu had been staring at the ceiling for three minutes straight.

"Oh yes, Mantis…I am fine…very fine to be exact. I am just thinking about something that's all! Nothing to be worrying about; I am completely un-worry-able!"

"Uh…"

"Would you stop asking me questions? What crimes have I committed?"

"Never mind Master Shifu; just go to bed or something and get your mind straight." Mantis sighed.

"Just nervous….that's all." Master Shifu said while looking down at the floor.

All the persistence finally paid off for Master Shifu. He looked around the Jade Palace, and saw that it was absolutely spotless. There was not a speck of dust, dirt, or any other imperfection to be found. Master Shifu, please with everything, sat down on the floor, and closed his eyes in peace. He now felt like he could ask Master Huan to a date without feeling totally embarrassed. Now she will now that he takes care of the Jade Palace.

"Master Shifu, Master Shifu!" Po screamed as he burst through the door, crushing several artifacts and creating hundreds of cracks on the door. "You won't believe what just happened ok: you see, I went to the top of the mountain right, and I was about to place that bag on the table you specified, but suddenly this random bird came out of nowhere, hit me in the head, and flew away with the bread. I am sorry Master Shifu, I really tried my best to make your date successful. Now you will never have that date with Master Huan."

"PO! YOU WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO SAY THAT OUT LOUD!" Shifu screamed on the top of his lungs. The others were chuckling.

"Oh, I thought everyone knew. My bad hehe!"

"Oh Master Shifu, do you really think that you have a chance with her? You are a grandpa, and she is…well…into her middle thirties. You have no chance." Mantis exclaimed as he laughed at his own crude humor.

"Master Mantis, you won't be laughing at training today. I will make your life a living hell."

"Oh…my bad then; never mind I said that."

"Good, now I am pretty sure we have an understanding Mantis."

"But why are you so protective over this Master Shifu? What is there to be ashamed of? You like a certain girl, so what?" Viper said, having sympathy for Master Shifu.

"I guess you are right. Maybe I should just forget about all of this. Mantis is right; I have no chance with her."

"Oh don't put yourself down like that Master Shifu. If you have enough self confidence, maybe you will…."

Master Viper was interrupted when she heard loud bangs coming from the entrance of the Jade Palace. It was Master Huan; she had arrived.

As soon as her fists struck against the door of the Jade Palace, Master Shifu went into a frenzy, jumping all around the place, trying to figure out how to approach her respectively. He was deeply in love with her, and he knew he would make himself look like a fool; this was what he feared most. Even though he knew he had no chance with her, he at least wanted her to think of him as a respectable gentleman who cared about her and wanted what's best for her. This had been Master Shifu's goal since the very beginning; ever since he saw Master Huan's beautiful face, he realized that an intimate relationship between the two of them would be impossible.

"Po, would you mind answering the door (no wait, what I am thinking; Master Shifu, are you that stupid?) No, no, Tigress, would you mind answering the door?"

Master Tigress opened the door, and saw a very beautiful petite red panda standing at the front of the door, carrying a small purple purse. Huan's face was full of make-up, but even without it, many said she still looked beautiful. Huan's eyes were glistening in innocence as they both looked like crystal pools of water. Her breasts were protruding from her robe but her nipples were covered. She also looked quite glamorous; her sandals looked new, she wore five golden rings, had on 5 silver bracelets, and her earrings were made out of pure pearl. Huan looked very delicate; her fur was very soft, and her fingers were short, stubby, and shaky.

"Well Master Huan, I see you have arrived at the Jade Palace…how do you like the Valley of Peace so far?" Tigress said in a welcoming voice.

"Very much Master Tigress," Master Huan said in a soft calming voice, "You know, I came here to meet one person in particular: Po. Hello Dragon Warrior, how are you doing?"

Master Huan came up to Po, and patted him on his belly. Po blushed so hard that his face was almost completely red. "Uh…hehe….very good Master Huan. How are you doing?"

"Well Po, you certainly have some fantastic manners! I am absolutely fantastic; I have just taken the little ones to school, and my husband is off working. Life couldn't be better really. You know he works for an ink factory…he doesn't get paid much…poor father."

"So Master Huan," Master Shifu interjected, "would you like something to eat?"

"Oh, no Master Shifu; I will save my hunger for the big brunch tonight. Po said he's cooking, isn't that right sweetie?"

"Oh, hehe!" Po chuckled, blushing again. "Yup, sure am! I am making my famous noodle soup. Listen Master Huan, if you haven't tried my soup, then you've never been to Heaven. This soup is truly amazing! You gotta try it!"

"Wow Po, you really think highly of yourself! I like that kind of attitude in you Po: the Dragon Warrior spirit!"

"Well Master Huan, I think it's time I show you your room eh? I think this journey has certainly made you tired, isn't that right?" Master Shifu nervously said.

"Certainly…Po, show me my room."

"Uh, well, I was hoping that I would…"

Po left with Master Huan before Shifu could finish his sentence.

Disappointed and saddened by Master Huan's attitude towards him, Shifu left the Jade Palace, and headed towards the barracks. The Furious Five felt terribly sorry for Shifu, and wanted to help him out. They followed him to the barracks, and found him in the middle of the kitchen, lying down on the floor. They all pondered at his choice of action, but they just ignored it. When they tried talking to him, Shifu just ignored them, and turned his head away from them. Now they felt even more sympathy.

"Master Shifu…are you alright?" Tigress asked.

"What do you think? Obviously she seems to be more interested in Po than in me. Why did I even try? I knew I would never be with her; that's just an impossible dream. I know she is in love with Po, it's obvious. Just look at how she treats him."

"Really, you actually think she likes Po? Master Shifu, I think you need to get your head checked." Mantis remarked.

"Yeah Master Shifu, I agree with Mantis; she is just trying to be kind to Po. After all, he is the Dragon Warrior. He defeated Tai Lung and Shen; I mean, do you know anyone else who could've done that? She's just showing respect is what I am saying." Crane explained.

"Really, saying she likes Po is going too far Master Shifu. Let's try to think rationally." Tigress explained.

"I don't know anymore; I just want to be alone right now."

"Alright Master Shifu, we'll see you later."

"No, no, never mind, I have to be strong. I bet I'll find a woman soon, I just need to keep searching."

"But you can date her if you want Master Shifu, just wait a bit and give her some time; I am sure it'll all work out in the end."

"Yeah, I'll just go and see if Po showed Huan her room; I know how he can get carried away sometimes."

Shifu, regaining some of his confidence, entered the Jade Palace, going to the guest room area. When Master Shifu entered Huan's guestroom, she found her lying on her bed, covered up, like she was trying to hide something. Master Shifu felt a suspicion, but ignored it.

"Master Shifu, I have to admit, the mattresses for the guest rooms are too hard; try to find something softer. I am having a hard time sleeping on this damn thing…oh, whatever! All I really care about is that I have a place to stay for a little while. You know Master Shifu, there was a reason why I came here. It wasn't for laughs and giggles; it was for a very important matter. Did you know that there are rumors…really bad rumors out there?"

"About what; what seems to be worrying you?"

"Listen, the current oligarchy ruling Gongmen City is corrupt beyond belief. Now you may be thinking: 'why on earth is she saying such nonsense', well, let me tell you, this is anything but nonsense. These people who are ruling Gongmen City are planning to assassinate the Chinese Emperor, and this news isn't new. This rumor has been going around since last year; have you heard of it?"

"Personally, I haven't heard much of it, but I don't think we should worry about it. What is this stupid little government going to do to the almighty Chinese Emperor?"

"Master Shifu, the Chinese Emperor is one-hundred-fifty years old! He has been ruling for over one-hundred-ten years, and many people have claimed that this emperor has committed many political crimes. Yeah, even though he broke many laws, he has still kept peace agreements with other nations surrounding us. If he's gone, and we get a tyrannical ruler as a result, who knows what will happen? Literally, Hell with break loose, and China as we know it, will be history. We really need to avoid this assassination Master Shifu. I know the Emperor is close to dying, but we can have at least a few more years of peace. I have a task for you Master Shifu: I want you to go to China's capital, and I want you to try to negotiate with the Emperor. You have to tell him to escape, or at least increase military defense around his palace. We cannot let this man die, trust me Shifu, it won't be good."

"Alright…but why me? Can't the Furious Five accomplish this job better than me?"

"No Shifu, you are a very good negotiator; I trust you more than that silly Po."

"Oh, who even trusts Po anyways? He's a klutz."

"Ha, good one; I totally agree with you. But out of everyone in the Jade Palace, you are the smartest. You do know how to talk to people, and you don't have as much aggression as Tigress or Mantis. Crane is too nervous when he talks to people; Viper is too nice; and monkey doesn't take things seriously (he never does for that matter). I don't think the Chinese Emperor would be happy with that. This man is quite old, and I think he needs someone who is a little more rational that usual."

"Should I take that as a complement?"

"Why not?"

"It makes me feel old."

"Ha, Master Shifu, you crack me up! But seriously, you have to do this!"

"But who's going to keep order of the Jade Palace?"

"I'll do it Master Shifu, trust me on this."

"But why aren't you coming? I mean, you are the one who came up with the plan, so it should be you doing all this correct?"

"Shifu, you have to learn to trust me. Do you trust me?"

"Of course I trust you. I love you."

"Wait, what?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing, nothing! Sorry, I had too much noodle soup this morning. Excuse me for being so stupid. Let me go talk to the Emperor alright?"

"Master Shifu, there's nothing to be ashamed of. Don't be so…"

But before Master Huan could continue, Master Shifu stormed out of the Jade Palace. She smiled, chuckled, and sat back down on her mattress. She rolled her eyes, and then started thinking about Master Shifu. She looked around the room, finding tiny little portraits of old Chinese architecture. She studied them carefully, looking at every tiny little spec of paint on the pieces of paper. Then, Master Huan sat back down on her bed, and looked to her left, seeing Po.

"Oh, hi Master Huan…um…I just wanted to say…"

"Po, I have to change my clothes for a second; can you exit my room for just two minutes? I'll talk to you as soon as I am done alright?"

"Ok, alright, sorry! I didn't know you were going to…"

"It's ok Po."

Po left Master Huan's room, and when he did, Master Huan started to chuckle at herself.

"Oh Dragon Warrior, you are such a fool" she snickered.


	3. Chapter 3 - The Xiaochang Bracelet

**Chapter Three - The Xiaochang Bracelet/The Plan**

As he was getting ready to leave the Jade Palace, Master Shifu came across a thought. He didn't know why, but for some odd reason, he doubted Huan. He didn't want to doubt her, but something in Shifu told him that he shouldn't trust her, and instead he should stay and send the Furious Five on this mission. But was this really the right thing to do? "What if the Emperor of China really want to meet with me alone" Shifu thought to himself. Master Shifu walked around the Jade Palace aimlessly for hours, pondering on the idea that he, alone, should go see the Emperor of China.

"Hey Master Shifu, what are you doing? You have been walking for over three hours; aren't you a little tired after all that walking?" Exclaimed Po while he was eating dumplings.

"Oh Po...it's you. Would you mind if I asked you a question?" asked Shifu with disgust, as he noticed Po was dropping his dumplings on the floor.

"Sorry about the dumplings Shifu, let me pick them up...uh...hold on...almost there...just a quick second...hehehe...hope you don't mind waiting...ugh...dang dumplings; can't pick them up. Ah, let me get the chopsticks!"

"No, get that later Po; I need to ask you a very serious question. Listen, Master Huan wants me to see the Chinese Emperor, but the weird thing is is that she wants me to alone! She says you shouldn't come and neither the rest of the Furious Five; just me! Should I trust her? I mean, it's not like I don't want to trust her, but the thing is is that I haven't been sent on a mission for a very long time; and it's been even longer since someone asked me to go solo on a mission. Listen, don't get me wrong, I am not scared to go on a mission, but I just can't understand why only me? Why can't you guys come? Now, I understand why she wouldn't let you go, but why not the Furious Five? I just don't get it."

"But what if the Emperor really wants to see you? You don't want to make him mad don't you?"

"Yeah, but man is over two-hundred years old...he's got a few years left in him, and that's it. So I don't think I will make him mad, but he might be dissapointed. Should I send a letter? Yeah, that's good idea don't you think?"

"Well, what if it's urgent? It's gonna take a while for the letter to arrive."

"You know what, Po, you stay here while me and the Furious Five go on this mission. I want you to keep an eye of Master Huan; for some odd reason, she just seems suspicious to me."

"But I thought you liked her."

"Po, don't get me wrong, I do love her, but it's just the way she is acting. It just doesn't seem like her. I will talk to her later, but I need to see the Emperor right now. Po, take good care of Master Huan. And also Po, please do me a favor: don't do anything stupid that will result in great consequences. Do you understand?"

"I sure do Master Shifu; I won't let you down!"

"Good; I will assemble a small little meeting with the Furious Five, and I will talk to Master Huan for a little more. We'll leave in about two hours."

"Got it Master Shifu!"

"Good Po; I would love to talk more, but I have business to attend to. I'll see you in two hours. Good-bye for now."

"Bye Master Shifu!" Po screamed as Shifu left.

Po looked around his surroundings, pondering on the thought of staying in Jade Palace doing absolutely nothing. Po knew his job was to take care of Huan, but did that job really require all his time? He thought about what he could do, and couldn't come up with a solution. Po walked around the Jade Palace for ten minutes, contemplating on different thoughts and ideas.

"Hmm, let's see here," Po said to himself, "There are no idiots to fight, I have finished my shift at my father's noodle shop, I cleaned the yard outside the Jade Palace, I took care of Rookie the pet goldfish, and I have eaten...what else is there to do?"

"Hey Po, how are doing?" asked a rather seductive voice.

Po turned around, and noticed Master Huan slowly walking towards him. Po noticed in her eyes that she was excited about something; that she wanted to do something daring.

"What...oh, it is you Master Huan; oh it's nothing, it's just that I am really, really, really, really bored! I mean seriously...I am supposed to take care of you, but is that what I have to do the whole time they are off on an adventure? I really want to go; I think I'll sneak out! What do you think Master Huan? I mean come on, do you think it is fair for me to miss out on all the fun? I don't think so...I am the Dragon warrior!"

"WHAT! Master Shifu took the others with him when I specifically ordered him to go alone? Oh...this won't be good for him."

"Why?"

"The emperor told me he wanted to see Shifu alone; he didn't want to see a single soul with him. I guess Master Shifu wants to disappoint the Emperor..."

"Listen, I really want to go. Do you think I should sneak out? Yes, I think that would be a good idea. Just think of this: Po, the super spy!"

"Po, you shouldn't be so hasty; do you really think it is a good idea to disobey Master Shifu? Now that he has pissed me off, I don't think it is a good idea to do so. I think you have agitated him too much; he doesn't need more attitude from you."

"I guess you're right, but just look at the situation: they are out there, combating evil forces, and talking to the Chinese Emperor; I am stuck here, doing nothing, just looking after you...No, no don't take that the wrong way! It is truly an honor to take care of a Master as pretty as yourself, but you understand what I am saying here correct?"

"I believe I understand what you are trying to say, and I do feel sorry for you, but I do think it is for the best."

"Yeah, I know; you are the one who told Shifu that I shouldn't come because I am a fool! What, you think that doesn't offend me, because it sure does Master Huan!"

"Calm down Dragon Warrior, do not take this too personally; I kept you here for a reason."

"It better be a good reason because I am missing out on a great event! Come on, it is the Emperor of China for pete's sake!"

"Come here Po, I want to show you something important."

"Is it really that important that you need me? If your excuse is me fixing up my noodle soup for you, then you are truly crazy if you think I would stay here for that. I would serve you later, but..."

"Shut up Po; this thing I am about to show you can only be seen by the Dragon Warrior. This is the reason why I kept you here smart one."

"Oh...I apologize for yelling...I...just...wanted...to...join...the...fun...you...know?"

"Perfectly understandable Dragon Warrior."

"Where are we going though?"

"Alright, so there is this small little place east of the Jade Palace (about a couple of miles away). It is a pretty spooky place if you search the place. All there is in the place are crops that are over two-thousand years old."

"Wow...are they still fresh?"

"You know what, we will get to that, but let's go there first; I might not have an opportunity to experiance this again."

"Alright?"

Master Huan led Po out of the Jade Palace, guiding him to the eastern part of China. This led both of them to a miniscule road . The road led to a humble plantation filled with the usual crops (carrots, celery, etc). When Po entered the plantation, he noticed that the whole area was deserted. This diminutive plantation didn't have a single soul lying around. Despite the fact, Po was still enthusiastic. But after spending a couple minutes in the plantation, Po felt alone, awkward, and uneasy; he had no explanation for this weird phenomena. It seemed like his spirit suddenly saddened for no apparent reason. As Po examined the plantation, he noticed a small little wooden house located north of the plantation. Po asked Master Huan who lived in that house, and what was the purpose of this plantation that seems to be in perfect condition. Master Huan answered that she believes that demons used to cross different dimensions around this area, using this planation field as a meeting place of some sort.

"Uh, could you please elaborate on that?" Po asked with great confusion.

"Alright, it is quite simple Po: this field has been here for over two-thousand years. The vegetables you see around you have been here for over two-thousand years, and no one has touched them. It is rumored that demons live here, and that this is their personal plantation. Interesting thing is that these vegetables have been in this state since they were first planted a long time ago. No one has picked the vegetables because it is rumored that if you pick any vegetable off, a demon will come chase you and possess you if he catches up to you."

"So who lives in that little house over there?"

"Nobody knows; everyone is scared to see what's inside."

"Wanna go and see?"

"That is why I wanted you to stay; do you really think I would make you stay here for nothing? I am not a boring person, and neither are you, so I think we'll get along pretty well don't you think?"

"I guess so...come on, let's go inside; I am so psyched!"

Master Huan and Po walked up to the small little house. Both studied the external features of the house. The house was entirely made of wood and had a stone foundation. Considering the age of the house, it didn't really look that aged at all: the roof of the house stayed intact, and the walls that made up the house were still sturdy and tough. The windows that made up the house were very loose: the left wall had a missing window, and the back wall's window was cracked in many different places. Also, when approaching the house, both Master Huan and Po noticed a fishy odor coming from an unknown source. Master Huan and Po were sure that the smell came from the house, but they were not sure from what part it was coming from. After studying the external features of the house, both of them came to a conclusion that something mysterious happened inside this house, but they weren't sure of the exact events that occured.

"Do you think the demon rumor might have something to do with this house's semi-mediocre condition?" Po asked.

"Well, considering the fact that this house is extremely old (at least according to rumors) I wouldn't say this house is semi-mediocre, but perfect! But yes, I do believe that that rumor has something to do with this house. But let us check out the inside and see what is really lying within the house."

"Why do you want to do this again?"

"I've been wanting to explore this are for a long time, but i've never had the chance to. Being a Master of a Palace isn't an easy job you know. Now that I am Master, I have more respect for Master Shifu, I know what he has to deal with now."

"Yeah, poor little guy has to deal with so many problems. Considering his age, he should retire."

"Ha, Po, you don't understand; Masters never retire until they are dead."

The two opened the door of the house, which in result allowed pounds of dust to fly onto their faces. Both of them coughed while rubbing the large dust bunnies off of their clothes. There were so many miniscule pieces of dust stuck to their clothes that they decided that it was useless trying to get the dust off of their clothes.

"Damn it; and I just bought this new dress only a week ago!" Huan said.

The inside of the building looked like an average normal everyday house. It had a couple of couches here and there; some tables, drawers, closets, bathrooms, and other things a typical house would have. Some of the walls had paintings of the very first emperors of China; even one wall had a picture of Master Oogway. The entire house had an atmosphere of suspense, much like the plantation they saw earlier. There was something about this house that wasn't right, and neither of them could put their fingers on it. Even though the house seemed to be vacant, Po felt a strange presence (it wasn't Huan.)

Po examined Master Huan's face, and could see that she was very dissapointed.

"Ah Po, I really was expecting more. Considering how this tiny little home is supposedly 'haunted', I wanted to see some skeletons, blood, guts..."

"Alright, alright; you are making me a little sick...lay off the details will you?"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to make you sick you big baby. Anyways, I have bigger fish to fry; I need to find something in this house."

"What is it?"

"It is the Xiaochang Dimensional Bracelet; it is rumored that this powerful artifact lies within this very house. The person who has the bracelet has the power to do many things; I want to find this bracelet before it goes into the wrong hands. Can you help me look for it?"

"Sure, but, are you sure it is in this house? I mean look at this place, it is practically spotless. If this bracelet was so important, wouldn't this house be in badder condition?"

"Po, badder is not a word."

"Fine...worser let's say (I don't know is that correct, and frankly, I don't care)."

"What do you mean by this Po?"

"Wouldn't this place be a little more banged up due to...visitors?"

"Visitors?"

"The bad guys!"

"Not necessarily; maybe no one knows that this place might be the home to one of the most important artifacts in Chinese History."

"Why is this artifact so important?"

"Well, the Xiaochan Dimensional Bracelet was an artifact created by Master Oogway to destroy the tyrannical Emperor of China: Xiaochan IV. He was a ruthless ruler who killed many innocent Chinese people in his regime, and Master Oogway decided that it was enough. But the problem was that this Emperor grew up with Kung Fu, and knew almost all the secrets to Kung Fu. In other words, this opponenet would be a toughie. But Master Oogway found a way to destroy this evil emperor once and for all: time distortion. This emperor managed to acquire supernatural powers, which allowed him to become immortal. Not only was this guy evil and cruel, but you couldn't assasinate him! There were so many assasination attempts on Emperor Xiachan IV that nobody knows how many assasination attempts there were (it is an estimation of over one-hundred). Kung Fu has certain secrets in it that allow you manipulate time and space, but trying to accomplish such a task would be nearly impossible (even if you knew what you had to do). Achieving such an event would literally make you Lord of this Earth. Anyways, Master Oogway created this bracelet using supernatural powers (how he acquired these powers, no one knows). Because time distortion was so difficult to achieve, Master Oogway created a shortcut of some sort. This allowed the user to immediately control time and space without having to do all the rituals and stuff like that. If Master Oogway used the old method, it would take too long to execute all the tasks required of you. It could have been possible that Oogway would have never saved China if he didn't create that bracelet. Anyways, Master Oogway killed the emperor by using time against him. How he used time against him, no one knows about that either...As you can see, there is a reason why I am after this bracelet; it is very powerful, and if it fell into the wrong hands, the world would ultimately come to an end. Just imagine someone such Shen finding this bracelet. Imagine what he would want to do if he acquired such a power like that. Do you see what I mean Po? Do you see why this bracelet needs to be found?"

"Wow...I didn't even know that."

"Let's just say it is a hidden part of Chinese History. Many people have forgotten about it...it's tragic really. Anyways, let's split up; we have to find that bracelet!"

"Got it! But I have a quick question...if this bracelet is here, why hasn't anybody come for it yet?"

"There have been many that have tried to find this bracelet, but whenever they entered this house, they said something stopped them. The details as to what stopped them is very vague, but it certainly spikes my interest."

"I am not liking the sound of that; I think I might go now."

"And what, miss the opportunity to be praised for protecting an ancient bracelet from falling into the wrong hands? Yes, that is totally worth missing out."

"Fine...just don't get me into trouble."

"I can't guarantee that."

"But why did you drag me into this? What if something goes wrong?"

"I need your protection, and trust me, nothing will go wrong if you follow my instructions. I have been studying this issue for a long time, and trust me, I know a lot more about this than you do."

"I guess you have the advantage then."

"Yup."

"I also have another question."

"You and your questions Po; they never cease do they?"

"No, no, listen: you told me before we left that only the Dragon Warrior can see this...why only me?"

"I said that because I trust you the most out of all the other people in the Jade Palace. There is something about you Po that I really like; you have moxy, and I like that!"

"Heh, thanks."

"No problem...alright, we are getting carried away; we need to find that bracelet!"

* * *

"Alright: Master Tigress, Mantis, Viper, Monkey, Crane, we're all going to go see the Chinese Emperor. He wants to talk to us personally; seems like something important is on his mind."

"Is Po coming with us Master Shifu?" asked Tigress with worry.

"No, he isn't coming for obvious reasons. He'll stay here and take care of Master Huan; I just hope he doesn't embarrass himself in front of her."

"Well with Po, you can't expect anything good to come out of that blob. Remember when Master Xiao came to visit us, and he spilled a whole cup of wine on her shirt, and she left, giving the Jade Palace a bad report. Thank goodness Po isn't coming, who knows what could happen."

"I don't think it would be a good idea to leave Po with Master Huan; who knows, maybe he'll have some fun with her (If you know what I mean)!" Mantis joked.

"Mantis, was that comment really necessary? I am adding an extra two hours to your training when we come back."

"Aww, come on Master Shifu; you know I was only joking!"

"Whatever, that doesn't matter right now. Alright, I think we should leave now."

"Why are you so nervous Master Shifu? You seem a little more...tense. Is something wrong?" Tigress asked.

"Oh, no Tigress, its just that its been a rather long time since I've went on a 'mission'. Usually, when there's trouble, you five fix the problem while I just stay here guarding the Jade Palace. I don't know why, but I just feel nervous."

"Maybe it has to deal with the fact that you are going to talk to the Emperor of China?" Crane questioned. "If I was in your position, I would probably be nervous too."

"Yeah, don't get too worked up over this Shifu," Monkey said, "Everything will be fine. I think the Emperor just wants to talk about some foreign affairs. Even if the emperor wants to talk about an important issue, remember, we always win," Tigress exclaimed, "So I don't think we should be worried about this."

"I will be the only one to say that I think Po will be responsible and will take good care of Master Huan, so that takes away one worry off of your mind Master Shifu." Viper intervened.

"I am pretty sure I can trust Po; I mean, what is the worst he can do?" Shifu questioned with hesitation.

"Remember the time Po burned down the Jade Palace after promising to take care of Master Chao? Yeah, totally trustworthy." Mantis joked.

"Stop giving Master Shifu a hard time Mantis," Viper exclaimed, "he already has a lot to deal with alright!"

"Gosh...jeez, I'm sorry!" Mantis said in embarassment.

"Alright, enough talking...where do we head off to first?" Tigress asked.

"We will take the Old Chinese Road to the Emperor's place...trust me, it is a shortcut." Master Shifu said.

"Alright, can someone please remind me why we are going to the emperor?" Mantis asked in confusion.

"That is still to be found out," Master Shifu said, "but whatever it is, I know it can't be good. Common everyone, let's go!"


End file.
